Friday, June 25, 2010

We bought a grill recently, and decided to grill something on a Sunday evening. We did not have any chicken or paneer to marinate, and grill. I came up with the idea of grilling vegetables, mixing them with balsamic vinaigrette and adding goat cheese and pine nuts to it! DELISHH!! Its one of the healthiest and best salads I have ever had!

Coat all the vegetables lightly with olive oil. Grill the vegetables and keep turning them until you see them charred. At this point remove the vegetables. Let it cool down. Lettuce leaves, red bell pepper should be cut into thin strips. Asparagus should be cut into 11/2 inch pieces, same with the spring onions. Put all the grilled veggies in a bowl. Add the vinaigrette and pine nuts and toss it to coat well.

Add salt and pepper if required. Plate the salads into 2 plates(that is the qty). Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.

Scones are delicious for breakfast with tea or coffee! And I wanted something homemade one Saturday morning, so I decided to make strawberry scones. I had dried strawberries at home, so used those to make these wonderful scones! Recipe is perfect, another Ina recipe! :)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour and butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss the strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, add them to the dough, and mix quickly. The dough may be a bit sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 4-inch plain or fluted cutter, and then cut them in half diagonally to make triangles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outsides are crisp and the insides are fully baked.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Summer is here, and its strawberry season! I got a big box of strawberries from the farmers market, and I had to try and make homemade Strawberry Jam! It turned out realllyy good:) I have it every morning with toast and am loving it! :)

Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the strawberries and continue to cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, until the strawberries release some of their juices and the mixture boils slowly. Cook until a small amount of the juice gels on a very cold plate. (I keep one in the freezer.) Pour carefully into 2 pint canning jars and either seal or keep refrigerated.

Properly-handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.

Sterilizing Tips:
Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.

To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Leave in a preheated 175 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Or, boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.

Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from either boiling water or the oven. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.

As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.

Summer is here! Time for pasta salads, orzo salads, and more salads :) I made this yesterday since it was a hot summer night, and it turned out really good! It tasted even better the next day after the pasta marinates over night.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, feta and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, and toss well.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

This is an Ina Garten recipe! Hubby does not love soups, but he really liked this one. I made some of my own modifications, by adding milk instead of cream to make it creamy but yet light. I also added some parmesan cheese to add some depth in flavor.

I made the soup with classic grilled cheese sandwich! It was sooo good! :) Comfort at its best ;)

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the milk to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that's left. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

I have been wanting to make some dessert with almond flour, so I decided to make chocolate almond torte. "Torte" means with little or no flour at all. This dessert is dense, moist and rich, and a little piece goes a long way! It is delicious! love the smooth texture and the taste of it!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place oven rack in the middle of the oven. Place the sliced or blanched almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool. Once completely cooled, place the nuts in a blender or small food processor and process until finely ground.

Note: The almonds need to be at room temperature before grinding to prevent them from clumping. If you find the almonds still clump when you ground them, add about 1 tablespoon (13 grams) of the sugar from the recipe. The sugar will help prevent clumping as it absorbs any oil exuded from the almonds.

Separate the cold eggs, placing the egg yolks in one bowl and the egg whites in another. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until they reach room temperature (about 30 minutes).

Melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat.

Meanwhile place the egg yolks and 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the yolks and sugar until pale and thick (about 2 to 3 minutes). Beat in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract. Fold in the ground almonds.

In a clean bowl, place the egg whites and whisk until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue whisking until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar and whisk until stiff peak forms. Fold about 1/4 of the whites into the chocolate batter to lighten it. Quickly fold in the rest of the whites and mix only until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake has a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. The cake will rise during baking but falls during cooling, leaving a crisp and cracked crust. Once cool, run a spatula around the inside of the pan before releasing the sides. If not serving immediately, cover and place in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature. Dust with powdered (icing or confectioners) sugar.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

I tried Ina's Sour Cream Coffee cake recipe today, but I made them in the form of cupcakes! That way you can get a good portion to eat without feeling guilty ;) Modifications I made to the recipe are that I increased the streusel portion to make a nice layer in between and on the top to get a crusty topping! Hubby LOVED the coffee cupcakes and has already devoured 3 of them!!!

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon a small icecream scoop worth of the batter into each paper cup and spread it out lightly with a knife. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of streusel. Spoon another small scoop of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter one tablespoon of streusel on top. Bake for 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Friday, March 5, 2010

One of my favorite Mexican dishes! We had this delicious breakfast when we went to Cancun and its been my favorite ever since! I tried it out last Sunday, including making the rachero sauce from scratch and it turned out DELISH!! :) I cant believe how good it tasted! Raj loved it too!

In a medium saucepan, at medium heat,add in the oil. Add in the onions and garlic and saute it till golden brown. Add in the tomatoes and let it cook at medium low heat for 5-7 minutes. Add in the salt,pepper, and cayenne pepper, saute it. Add in the chipotle peppers. Cook for 5 more minutes till you see that the mixture is mushy enough.

Put this mixture in the food processor and blend it till smooth! Remove it in a bowl, and stir in the sour cream till the sauce looks smooth and creamy.

Now, in a small saucepan, add in the black beans, cilantro and spring onions. Add in salt to taste. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes till hot.

In a pan, cook the tortilla one at a time with cooking spray or oil on both sides until light brown and a wee bit crisp. Remove it on a plate.

Now, on a plate, assemble the tortilla, and add half of the cooked black beans. Now cook the egg in a pan, in a fried egg style with cooking spray or little oil. Let it cook for a couple of minutes. Now add half of the cheese on the egg and cover the pan until the cheese melts. The egg is done! Now slip out the egg onto the black beans. Top it with the drizzles of ranchero sauce. Garnish with chopped spring onions!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Pav Bhaji, every Mumbaiite's street favorite!! I have grown up eating pav bhaji atleast once a week, where bhaji is the mixed vegetables and pav is the buttery soft moist bread! My mom used to make pav bhaji for our birthdays inviting all our friends, and everyone remembers her pav bhaji and her chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting till today!

sourdough bread or pugliese bread(my version of pav in the US!)
Butter to spread on the bread

Method:

Put the potatoes, cauliflower and green peas in a pressure cooker, cover with 5-6 cups of water, and pressure cook it until 4-5 whistles. Once done, let the mixture cool down. Drain the water into a separate bowl to preserve it(water has all the vitamins). Peel the skin off the potatoes. Now mash the entire mixture really well into a mush.

In a morter and pestel, add the garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and the chilli powder and grind it until really fine.

In a medium saucepan, on medium heat, put in the butter, and melt it. Add the chopped onions. Saute it until golden brown. Add in the garlic mixture. Add in the chopped tomatoes, and saute it for 2-3 minutes. Add in the chopped bell pepper and saute for about 2-3 minutes. Add in the pav bhaji masala, and let it cook on low to medium heat for 5 minutes, until it looks well blended.

Add in the potato mixture and add in about a cup of the preserved water, and mix this really well. Squeeze the juice of one lemon. Now mix the entire bhaji well, stirring it occassionally and keep it at low heat. Cook it for about 10 minutes. Add in the chopped cilantro as garnish and a tad bit of butter that melts beautifully on top to make it look silky!

Slice the bread loaf into about 2-3 slices/person. Slather it with butter on both sides. Now at medium heat on a saucepan, add the slices and let it brown and crisp nicely on both sides! The pav bhaji is ready to eat! :)

You can garnish the bhaji once on your plate with cilantro, some chopped onions and a dash of lemon! Yum!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

A very close friend of mine, had made curried couscous for my baby shower. I have had it before at her place, and I had liked it then too! Its really simple to make and so tasty! It can be stored and eaten the next day as well!

Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Monday, January 18, 2010

So, my first attempt at making pizzas was a success! :) I tried the basic simple margharita pizza, with fresh mozarella cheese and fresh basil on the top. On the pizza dough, I brushed it with olive oil infused with garlic and red pepper flakes, and then added the tomato sauce, fresh mozarella and basil! Heres to more delicious pizzas for the pizza lovers of our home!:)

For the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and 3 tablespoons olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of the flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the garlic oil. Place 1/2 cup olive oil, the garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. (Be sure your oven is clean!)

Dump the dough onto a board and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each parchment-lined sheet pan. (If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.) Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each one liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown. Garnish with the chiffonado of basil leaves on each pizza and serve immediately! :)

In a medium pot, put in the olive oil at medium heat. After a minute add in the onions, garlic and saute it until translucent. Then add in the tomatoes, and the remaining ingredients ie salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, and basil. Using an electric blender, blend it in the pot itself.

Simmer at low to medium heat for half an hour. Make sure that the pot is covered else it will splatter everywhere.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

We had gone to Napa over the Xmas break with the baby, and there was a bakery near our hotel, that had the most delicious ginger cookies! I love the soft chewy texture of these ginger cookies, and I had been looking for a recipe ever since.

Finally found Ina Garten's Ginger cookie recipe, and they turned out deliciouso!!! I did not put the crystallized ginger, and rolled the cookie in demerara sugar, coz the sugar gives a nice crunch to it as opposed to granulated sugar. Below is the modified recipe.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in demerara sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Carrot cake is so versatile, it can be made as cupcakes for dessert, or as a carrot loaf for breakfast! This can also be made as a whole cake with frosting in between 2 round cakes and frosting on the top.

I made this as a loaf, and loved the taste and texture, and it tasted soo good with tea! I would definitely make it again. I added my own touches, of adding walnuts to the loaf. Walnuts go really well with the carrot loaf! Love the nuttiness and crunchiness of the walnuts in the loaf! One could add raisins as well, but I do not like the taste of raisins in the carrot cake.

Method:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the 2 loafpans with cooking spray and line the base with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg together, then stir in the coconut so it does not clump together. Beat the eggs, oil and sugar in an electric mixer until it becomes pale and has doubled in volume. Gently fold in the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix and lose volume. Fold in the carrots and walnuts. Pour the mixture equally in both the loaf pans. Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the loaf, before removing it from the loaf pan.

Cream together cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually stir in sugar. Amount varies, depending on how sweet you want it to be. Stir in one teaspoon of vanilla.

Divide the cream cheese frosting over both the loaves, and spread evenly on the loaves. Store it in a cool place!

This is my masi's(mom's sister) recipe, and the first time she made it, hubby and I loved it!! My masi makes the most delicious food ever! She can whip up 10 dishes in an hour! ;) My nani, mom and masis have been my inspiration and I hope I can do justice to them and continue the "good cooking" tradition!:)

Hubby wanted me to make them so I tried it at home, and they turned out really good:) Happy with the end result!! :) I unfortunately did not take a picture!! :( Until next time now!!

In a medium bowl, mix the rava and the buttermilk, and stir it for a minute or so, till it is well blended. Keep it covered for atleast an hour. It will rise a little bit after an hour.

In the meanwhile, in a medium pot, on medium heat, take the vegetable oil, and let it heat up. Add in the mustard seeds and curry leaves and let it splatter for a few seconds. Add the chopped onions, ginger/garlic/green chilly into the pot and saute it for a few minutes till onions turn translucent.

Add in the green beans, peas, corn, carrots into the mixture, and saute it again for about 5-7 minutes. Add in salt to taste.Add this vegetable mixture to the rava mixture and stir it well. Add in the sugar as well.

To make the rava idlis, First start the steamer pot with water and let it start boiling. Take half of this mixture and add 1 1/2 teaspoons eno, and stir it continuously for a minute until it gets frothy. Now take the idli stand, and then rub little oil on each idli container, and then add enough batter to cover the container. Fill all the containers with the batter and put it in the steamer. Cover the steamer for 12 minutes and let the idlis cook and rise!

The first batch of idlis are ready! Remove it from the steamer, and let it sit for 5 minutes, and then remove each idli carefully with a spoon. Make the second batch of idlis in the same manner. Your idlis are ready to eat!! :))